EDward Gaming's Redemption Comes with a 3-2 in the World…

EDward Gaming and DWG KIA went to all five games in a dramatic end to the 2021 Season World Championship. Despite the LCK team being the first to get to match point, in the end EDG was triumphant

Jie Jie1 — A new prince of thieves emerges in the jungle © Riot Games

At the conclusion of nearly a month of games, two teams stood poised to fight for the Summoner's Cup. LCK champions DWG KIA took their group by storm before sweeping MAD Lions and taking down three-time champions T1 in a five-game classic. Against them stood EDward Gaming, the LPL champion who defied the odds twice with back-to-back five-game series against Royal Never Give Up and Gen.G.

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EDward gaming got the first blood in the opening game, but it was a 3-0 at the second herald that saw them take the first meaningful lead. They kept a firm control on the neutral objectives and did not allow DWG to pick them apart. Instead, a brute forced fight near the Baron 29 minutes in gave them a clean ace, the Baron and the ocean soul. The LCK team tried to fight back, but it was in vain - and to the surprise of many, it was the LPL team getting the first win in the series.

Damwon changed plans for game two, focusing on the mid lane and getting plates and eventual first blood. After winning the fist big fight, Kim "Khan" Dong-ha and Heo "ShowMaker" Su were far ahead of their lane opponents and continued leading the team in their fights. Even a heroic Baron steal by Zhao "Jiejie" Li-Jie was not enough for EDG to turn the game around and after several big fights in the mid-game, DWG secured their first game.

The two teams were fairly even early in the third game, EDG winning the first blood but DWG getting two early drakes, then adding another. The game was very close until a clutch teamfight by Damwon, where they got a 4-1 and the soul. The LPL team tried to fight back, but while they came close several times, it was the Koreans who came up on top and eventually came to match point.

Damwon were on match point, but EDG were not out of it yet. The Chinese team got the first blood and followed it up with an impressive objective control, eventually reaching soul point. DWG looked ready to take the fourth one, but JieJie once more came up with a clutch steal to secure the soul. EDG’s positioning was impeccable in the mid-game. They secured a quick Baron before their opponents could react and pushed on, won the ensuing fight and got the series to match point.

The two teams pushed each other back and forth, EDG focusing on the top lane and Damwon focusing mid. The game was nearly even 22 minutes in, when Lee "Scout" Ye-chan caught Showmaker and took him down, following up with three more kills to get the first big advantage. The LCK champions snuck in a Baron to bring the game to an even state, but it was not to last. EDG had both picks and superior teamfighting and this secured them objective after objective. Eventually, they pushed into the DWG base with Baron buffs, got two inhibitors and, with yet another great Kennen ult from Li "Flandre" Xuan-Jun, pushed their opponents back to take the nexus.

After years of failing in the groups or the quarterfinals, EDG’s redemption is here. The team that was seen as the underdog in every game they played is now the world champion. For Damwon, this is a bitter loss after an impressive LCK split and great showing so far, but the old world champion had to bow to the new one.

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